Word Origin & History

muzzle late 14c., "device put over an animal's mouth to stop it from biting, eating, or rooting," from O.Fr. musel (12c.), from muse "muzzle," from Gallo-Romance *musa "snout," of unknown origin, possibly related to L. morsus "bite." Meaning "projecting part of the head of an animal" is from c.1410; sense of "open end of a firearm" first recorded 1566. The verb meaning "to put a muzzle on" is first recorded c.1470.

Example Sentences for muzzled

It would be well for the people if their advisers were muzzled too.

Talk about Winston if you like, but, after all, he has only muzzled the German fleet.

You ought to be ashamed of myself, and you should be muzzled.

Instead, it sat on its haunches close to the mountaineer, and muzzled his hand.

I've to be tied to the stake at ten, chained and muzzled—a leetle-a dawg!

I was in a hurry to get out of town, for my dogs were not muzzled.

He had been muzzled, and muzzled, when all was said, by his paltry salary as an exciseman; alas!